Australians also looking at neutral-venue tests for the extra cash

The Australian Rugby Union has indicated it is also contemplating staging test matches at neutral venues in a bid to increase revenue.

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Chris Moller raised the prospect of the All Blacks playing internationals not sanctioned by the International Rugby Board in venues such as Japan or the United States at an IRB conference in Auckland.

The plan to play private tests was designed to cash in on the pulling power of the All Blacks - the NZRU is aggrieved that at present it receives no share of the gate or broadcasting revenues for tests played overseas, despite the popularity of the team.

The ARU has echoed similar concerns and has long been frustrated that the Wallabies are popular abroad, yet tours yield little revenue for the domestic game.

Moller said that although playing tests at neutral venues, such as Japan or the United States, was a solution, a better method would be to add additional tests to sanctioned IRB one-off internationals.

The extra tests would be negotiated between the competing nations, above the IRB minimum schedule, and would entail a revenue-sharing agreement.

The ARU supported Moller's vision, raising the possibility of a Bledisloe Cup clash in Asia.

ARU spokesman Strath Gordon said the union had been weighing up plans for teams to share gate revenue for at least two years.

"In 2002, we were looking at the possibility of playing South Africa in Britain because both countries were going to be there at the same time, and there was a commercial opportunity to do exactly what the NZRU is talking about," he said.

"A lot of people want to see the Wallabies play, and they're not all in Australia."

One possible move would be to hold a third Bledisloe Cup match at a neutral venue.

"We have always figured on an additional, third Bledisloe Cup match, potentially in Tokyo or Hong Kong," he said, adding that such fixtures might be a long way off.

"The obstacles are not people being against the idea, they are more to do with scheduling and player welfare."

* The international rugby referees' selection panel may be extended to include a national coach and a player.

It is one of the recommendations to come out of the IRB conference.

April's annual meeting of the board will consider the recommendation.

This would mean coaches and players have a bigger say in the selection of referees for international matches, a situation that has been a bone of contention for many years.

The conference also felt the laws in relation to decoy-running were adequate, but interpretations of the laws needed to be clarified.

There was unanimous agreement that the forum had provided an invaluable opportunity for discussion, debate and exchange of ideas across a range of topics related to the playing of the game.

The three-day conference was attended by many of the world's leading coaches, referees, players and administrators - including Sir Clive Woodward, who masterminded England's World Cup triumph in November last year.

Coaches from eight of the world's top 10 countries were present.

- AGENCIES